Captain Becker, what can you learn in a cockpit simulator?

Flight instructor Cord Becker is a former Lufthansa pilot with more than 20 000 flight hours under his belt

Captain Becker, you don’t even have to be a pilot to use the cockpit simulators at the Lufthansa Flight Training Center in Frankfurt. What makes them special?

What’s unique is that you are using the same simulators that Lufthansa professionals use. Pilots regularly hone their skills to a very high level in these simulators – be it as preparation for taking the helm of an Airbus A380 or a Boeing 747. In collaboration with ProFlight, Lufthansa also offers “adventure flights” for anyone who’s interested.

What technical equipment is required?

We have simulators for every aircraft type, and each costs several million euros. Their elaborate engineering creates a realistic impression – you really think you are sitting in an actual cockpit. Even the aircraft’s movements are simulated with deceptive realism: banking, braking, accelerating for takeoff.

What’s an adventure flight like?

These recreational flights are not like training flights at all because the person at the helm lacks the expertise to fly professionally. But they do give you an idea of how it feels to steer a giant jet. Some get a little hot under the collar, but there’s always an expert on hand to stop the simulator if things look risky.

Is there anything a pilot cannot learn in a simulator?

Cockpit simulators prepare pilots for situations that we hope will arise only rarely. Landing on snow-covered runways, engine failure, touch-and-go maneuvers. In a simulator, you only get an inkling of the actual physical and mental strain involved.